SPOKANE, Wash -- Led by last season's Northwest Conference
Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, defending champion
Pacific Lutheran University is a heavy favorite to repeat its title
as NWC women's basketball champions, according to the preseason
poll of conference coaches.

The Lutes, who advanced to the NCAA tournament's third round
last winter while finishing 24-4, received seven of nine possible
first place votes and 79 total points in the poll. Senior wing
Nikki Johnson returns to defend her selection at the conference's
MVP of 2005-06. Gill Rigell earned his second career selection as
NWC Coach of the Year last winter.

Puget Sound, last season's runner up, is also second in this
year's preseason poll with one first place vote and 63 points. The
Loggers were an at-large selection to the NCAA tournament last
year, finishing 23-6 after making the second round. But UPS will
have to overcome the graduation of its all-star back court of Sarah
Carnahan and Kilty Keaton.

Lewis & Clark is third in the poll with one first place vote
and 59 points. The Pioneers, who only two seasons ago finished 1-15
in conference play, improved to 8-8 last season (12-12 overall) and
return Second Team All-NWC forward Crystal Castle and HM All-NWC
forward Allison Farr.

George Fox, which just missed making the NWC playoffs last
season, welcomes back Second Team All-NWC wing Robin Taylor as the
Bruins make a run at returning to the NCAA tournament. GFU is
fourth in the poll with 58 points.

Linfield (44 points) and Whitworth (42) were fifth and sixth in
the poll, respectively. Both teams finished 7-9 in conference play
last season and just above .500 overall. The Wildcats bring back HM
All-NWC guard Ashley Covey to lead a veteran lineup. The Pirates
must replace four starters for the second straight season.

Whitman, a conference tournament participant last season, is
seventh in the poll with 36 points. While All-NWC forward Lizzy
Washburn has graduated, HM All-NWC guard Katie Patneaude returns
for the Missionaries.

Willamette (17) and Pacific (14) wind up the poll in eighth and
ninth places, respectively. The Bearcats hope to improve on last
year's 0-16 conference record, while the Boxers will have to
overcome the graduation of All-American post DeeDee Arnall.

This season the Northwest Conference will use a conference
tournament to decide the automatic (Pool A) bid to the NCAA
tournament. At the conclusion of the regular season the second
place team in the final standings will host the third place team in
a playoff. The winner will play at the regular season champion for
the NCAA bid.